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15
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Reply:
Mr President,
Pursuant to the agreement reached at the 37th plenary session of the Joint Liaison Group, the United Nations have been notified of the extension to Hong Kong of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which many refer to as the CEDAW. The extension took effect on 14 October 1996.
(a)
(b)&(c)
Article 11.1 of the CEDAW requires States Parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure the equality of men and women. In anticipation of the extension of the Convention to Hong Kong, the Sex Discrimination Ordinance was enacted in July last year. The Ordinance specifically prohibits discrimination against women in the field of employment. Article 11.1(d) of the CEDAW refers to the need to ensure 'the right to equal remuneration, including benefits, and to equal treatment in respect of work of equal value'. In this regard, under section 69 of the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, the Equal Opportunities Commission has prepared a Code of Practice on Employment which provides practical guidance covering, inter alia, the specific requirement for the right to equal pay for work of equal value. The Code has been tabled in this Council and is currently being examined by a Sub-committee.
Under the Convention, States Parties undertake to submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations periodic reports on measures which they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and on the progress made. In the case of Hong Kong, the first report will be due in mid October 1997. In accordance with the agreement reached at the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group, for reports on Hong Kong which are due after 30 June 1997, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will submit a draft report to the Central People's Government of China and that the report will be incorporated into and form part of the report to be submitted to the United Nations by China, who is a State Party to CEDAW.
End